Prison Overcrowding

According to Friday's Orlando Sentinel, our prison system is facing a severe overcrowding situation. One only needs to wonder why. Maybe it is time not to incarcerate people for nonviolent crimes. Maybe now is the time to utilize the "tent city" methods used in Arizona. Keep prisoners at the 33rd Street facility and send all convicted persons to tent city. Perhaps this will reduce the number of repeat offenders. Think for a moment what prisons offer: A warm -- or cool -- structured-living facility; three square meals per day; recreational TV and physical-development equipment; a free education (both good and bad)

According to Friday's Orlando Sentinel, our prison system is facing a severe overcrowding situation. One only needs to wonder why. Maybe it is time not to incarcerate people for nonviolent crimes. Maybe now is the time to utilize the "tent city" methods used in Arizona. Keep prisoners at the 33rd Street facility and send all convicted persons to tent city. Perhaps this will reduce the number of repeat offenders. Think for a moment what prisons offer: A warm -- or cool -- structured-living facility; three square meals per day; recreational TV and physical-development equipment; a free education (both good and bad)

WHAT DO ''eminent domain'' and ''prison overcrowding'' have in common?''Eminent domain'' allows the government to force me off my current property to another location so that a road, for instance, can cut through my current address. Its premise is that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the individual and his family.''Prison overcrowding,'' on the other hand, dictates that a prison can contain only so many. After that, prisoners must be released into society until the prisoners are comfortable in their air-conditioned cells.

MAPUTO, Mozambique -- Mozambique said Thursday that 82 prisoners had died in mysterious circumstances at a jail in the northern town of Montepuez, a center of recent anti-government riots. The acting governor of Cabo Delgado province said one other inmate had died of natural causes. An independent team is investigating the 82 deaths. Prime Minister Pascoal Mocumbi told state radio the deaths Tuesday night may have been caused by suffocation because of prison overcrowding, food poisoning or lack of water.

THE SENTINEL'S May 21 edition headlines the probable early release of inmates to help prison overcrowding. These prisoners include murderers and rapists.The May 21 edition also relates the Clinton administration's efforts that continue to reduce a citizen's ability to own and have access to a firearm for self-protection.Go figure. R.M. HendersonORLANDO

PERSIAN GULF war/crisis in the Middle East.Recession.Growing U.S. budget deficit.Weakening in aerospace and defense backing.Perpetual health care crisis.Increasing homeless rate among American women and children.Constantly rising taxes.Climbing unemployment.Escalating crime rates/prison overcrowding.Declining education level of American youth.While George Bush does battle at the international level, who is minding the home front? And furthermore . . .Where is Dan Quayle?Deborah L. Guenther SANFORD

MAPUTO, Mozambique -- Mozambique said Thursday that 82 prisoners had died in mysterious circumstances at a jail in the northern town of Montepuez, a center of recent anti-government riots. The acting governor of Cabo Delgado province said one other inmate had died of natural causes. An independent team is investigating the 82 deaths. Prime Minister Pascoal Mocumbi told state radio the deaths Tuesday night may have been caused by suffocation because of prison overcrowding, food poisoning or lack of water.

The self-styled high priestess of the sex-based Church of the Most High Goddess has been released from prison after serving 150 days of a one-year sentence. Mary Ellen Tracy was convicted of prostitution in 1989. After losing her case on appeal, the 48-year-old former Mormon went to jail. Prison overcrowding and credit for time served shortened her sentence, said her husband, Will Tracy.

WE COULD have used some of the liberal leaders of today during World War II. These people are so concerned about the rights of criminals - prison overcrowding being one example.During World War II we were housed in wooden barracks, drab, cold and crowded. There was no air conditioning. We were mistreated and abused by today's standards.We surely could have used the liberal leaders then, but we probably would have lost the war, as we are surely losing this one.Bill Hodges ORLANDO

YOU READ of murderers serving part of a prison sentence, then being released. Within a few days or weeks, they commit more, and often worse, offenses.The man in the news recently knew what he was doing. He killed two Miami police officers by shooting them numerous times in the head. He knew they were wearing bulletproof vests.Will he spend a few years in confinement and then be released in mid- sentence because of prison overcrowding?Justice would seem to demand that, if he receives a death penalty, it be carried out after one appeal rather than what seem to be endless ones.

THE SENTINEL'S May 21 edition headlines the probable early release of inmates to help prison overcrowding. These prisoners include murderers and rapists.The May 21 edition also relates the Clinton administration's efforts that continue to reduce a citizen's ability to own and have access to a firearm for self-protection.Go figure. R.M. HendersonORLANDO

Armed criminals in Florida committed more than 34,000 crimes with a gun in 1997, victimizing more than 93 people a day. These victims receive a life sentence of pain and fear - if they are not murdered. The perpetrators who impose these sentences on victims must be punished and removed from society to protect innocent people.The proposed ``10-20-Life'' legislation, which I sponsored in the Florida House of Representatives and which Sen. Daniel Webster, R-Orlando, has sponsored in the Senate, would provide appropriate, mandatory prison terms for violent felons and drug traffickers who use guns to commit felony crimes.

YOUR MARCH 16 editorial about the ``10-20-life'' proposal concerned me.It is true that the proposal would usurp the authority of judges who already can mete out severe penalties to criminals who use firearms. However, it is also true that judges are not using that authority to the best of their ability or for the greater good of the people. Instead they are placing career criminals and repeat offenders on probation, during which they are supervised once a month.Why? Because people are scared of prison overcrowding, so instead criminals are set free to walk the same sidewalks as our children.

IT IS no surprise that Floridians are fed up with prison overcrowding. The early release of criminals is often the result.Most Floridians probably would vote for some sensible tax increase if it were to be used to build more prisons or to hire more police and corrections personnel.I believe that it might prove easier and less costly if we were to use an existing facility - the Naval Training Center. Portions of this facility easily could be renovated for a reasonable cost, or not renovated at all. After all, prisoners do not deserve cable television, air conditioning, weight rooms or expensive lounges.

THE RECENT analysis piece ''Dangerous ex-cons: What to do?'' not only offered no solutions but repeatedly perpetuated a deadly myth: that these violent offenders paid the price ''society'' imposed by serving their time.No, they had not served their time. They were released early for the ultimate oxymoron, ''good behavior'' while in prison. And no, they did not pay the price that ''society'' charged but one that judges determined from their ivory towers.How's this for a solution: accountability from the people who set these monsters free.

RECENTLY, YOUR paper has afforded a great deal of coverage regarding the issue of overcrowding in the Florida prison system and the political argument about the most appropriate method for taxpayers to fund new prisons.It seems that one fundamental question was overlooked by the news media and the politicians: Who says the prisons are overcrowded?Was there ever a referendum concerning this matter? With regard to convicted felons, it is doubtful that most Floridians would care if two people or 10 people are in a prison cell.

ON THE issue of prison overcrowding, the state could speed up the executions of convicted inmates on death row, at least freeing up those spaces for others.The fact that Tommy Zeigler, who is convicted of murdering his wife, her parents and another man, is still on death row after 17 years is ridiculous. Florida taxpayers have already spent more than $300,000 keeping this remorseless killer alive. Those convicted of brutal, heinous crimes should pay with their lives, and quickly. Enough is enough - it's time to fry, fry, fry. And I'm a McGovern liberal.

IN A letter titled ''Nail the drug buyer,'' Roger McDonald stated his belief that prosecuting the user would be the ultimate solution to the drug problem in the United States.He thinks that eliminating the buying power of the drug users would put an end to drug abuse.Unfortunately, he overlooked the fact that there are too many drug users in the United States to lock up.Potential drug users are born daily, and jailing them is not the answer.Hasn't McDonald heard of prison overcrowding?Drugs must be stopped at their source.

For the past few weeks, we've all heard about how Florida jails and prisons are letting people out early because of overcrowding.There have been numerous articles and opinions by people who claim to know the answer to the overcrowding problem, but there is no single solution.The general attitude of the community at large is that everyone sentenced to serve time, whether at a county facility or state facility, ''deserves'' to be there for the maximum time allowed. While in many cases that proves to be true, there are many, many more cases where it is just not possible.

ON THE issue of prison overcrowding, the state could speed up the executions of convicted inmates on death row, at least freeing up those spaces for others.The fact that Tommy Zeigler, who is convicted of murdering his wife, her parents and another man, is still on death row after 17 years is ridiculous. Florida taxpayers have already spent more than $300,000 keeping this remorseless killer alive. Those convicted of brutal, heinous crimes should pay with their lives, and quickly. Enough is enough - it's time to fry, fry, fry. And I'm a McGovern liberal.